Twin-fuselage monoplane



Oct. 14. 1924. I 1,511,666

w. GlLMORE TWIN FUSELAGE MONOPLANE Filed y 16. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 amen vim wlLLmm L. GILMORE $31321: @Mlozmeq Patented st. 14, 1924.

NEED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

WILLIAM L. GILMORE, 01' PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO CURTISS AEBOIPLANE AEID MOTOR COMPANY, INC., OF GARDEN CITY, LONG ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. V

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' Application filed May 16, 1921. Serial No. 470,164.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. GILMORE,

a citizen of the United States,residing at Port Washington, in the county of Nassau, and

t3 State-of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Twin- Fuselage Monoplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to aircraft.

A characteristic of the invention is the use of a supporting surface of a thickness, intermediately of its ends, substantially equal to the maximum depth of the fuselage or body. Thus constructed the supporting W surface and body can be merged substantially uninterruptedly one into the other to minimize resistance in flight.

A further characteristic of the invention is the provision of separate nacelles, two of 29 which merge uninterrupedl into the supporting surface in longitudinal alignment with the fuselages (of which there are two), and the other of which is centrally located, similarly merged into the supporting surface, and at its forward end is extended beyond the corresponding ends of the outside nacelles. Motors driving tractor propellers are enclosed in the side nacelles and a motor driving a pusher propeller is either enclosed or partly enclosed, in the center nacelle. Ac-' cordingly the paths of rotation of the tractor propellers are situated on either side of the forwardly extended portion of the center nacelle, whereas the path of rotation of the pusher propeller is between the twin fuselages, i. e., an arrangement offering maximum range of vision and gun fire, when used as a military machine, from all cockpits.

A still further characteristic of the invention is the provision of a cockpit in the nose end of the center nacelle, and in addition a cockpit in either one of the main supporting surfaces. The last mentioned or win g cockpits, are laterally removed quite some distance from the center nacelle, preferably beyond the twin fuselages. This arrangement of the cockpits, together with the fact that openings are provided in the under surfaces 0 the wings gives to the occupants of the 5 cockpits vision in all directions. Moreover,

in view of the thickness-accorded the supporting surface or wings, passageways are provided inside the wings thru which the forth,

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

In the embodimentof the invention selected for illustration, a multimotored monoplane is shown. The supporting surface, designated in its entirety as 10 comprises connected win'g sections 11-11 and 12, the latter being the center section to which the outer sections 11 are hinged. .The center section thruout its full length is of substantially uniform cross section whereas the end sections 11 taper from root to tip. Adjacent opposite ends of the center section 12, twin fuselages 13 are provided, the depth of each fuselage at its forward end being substantially equal to the maximum depth of the center section to admit of the uninterrupted merger of-the fuselages and supporting surface. From their forward ends both fuselages taper rearwardly and at their rear ends support the empennage of the craft which includes suitable stabilizing surfaces let and 15, an elevator flap 16 and rudders 17, the latter being hinged to the stabilizing surfaces 15- and the elevator 16 hinged to the stabilizing surface 14. In addition, each fuselage at its extreme rear end is provided with a suitable tail skid 18. Preferably the fuselages 13 are triangular in cross section.

Forwardly of the center section 12 of the supporting surface, motor nacelles 19 are provided. Each nacelle 19,11ke the fuselages 13, merges into the center section of the supporting surface, and each, see Fig. 1, is in effect a forward continuation of said fuselages. Both nacelles project forwardly beyond the leading edge of the supporting surface. Within each nacelle a power plant 20 1S enclosed, each power plant being directly connected with a tractor propeller 21, the paths of rotation of which are aligned. Thus arranged, two tractor propellers are provided, the axes of which are symmetricall arranged on opposite sides of the fore and a t axis of the machine.

In addition to the side nacelles 19 a center nacelle 22 is provided. Like the motor nacelles, the center nacelle, though larger, merges uninterruptedly into the center section 12 of the supporting surface. At its forward end it is extended beyond the corresponding ends of the, motor nacelles, and at its extreme forward end is provided with a cockpit 23 for a gunner. Aft of the cockpit 23, preferably directly above the leading edge of'the supporting surface, cockpits 24 and 25- are provided for the pilot and mechanic respectively. Behind the cockpits 24 and 25 and partly within the nacelle and partly within the confines of the center panel a third motor 26 is enclosed, said motor, unlike the motors 20, being connected up witlra usher propeller 27 The axis of the propel er 27 and the fore and aft axis of the machine are longitudinally vertically aligned. The path of rotation of the usher propeller 27 is thus intermediately ocated etween the twin fuselages 13. 7

Besides the gunners cockpit 23 located at the extreme nose of the center nacelle 22 further cockpits 28 are provided in the outer panels 11 of the supportin surface 10. The cockpits 28 are prefe'ra ly equidistantly spaced from the fore and aft center line of t e machine and sufliciently laterally removed from the twin fuselages 13 to give the occupants thereof an unobstructed observation and gun fire range in all directions both laterally and vertically. The occupants of the cockpits 28 are furthercapable of firing in a downward direction; openings 29 being formed in the er surface of the outer panels 11 for that punpose.

The size of the machine and the character of the supporting surface with which it is provided make it entirely practical to incorporate in the wing anels suitable passageways 30 thru .iwluc the .occupants of the several cockpits may freely move from one cockpit to the other. Such enclosed passageway also extends rearwardly within the center panel 12 to a point in the vicinity of suitable bomb racks 31 supported beneath the center panel.

A machine characterized as above set forth is especially suited to military uses in view of the range of vision and gun fire accorded the various gunners and in view of the enclosed passageways which make intercommunication between the cockpits poss ble without exposing the occu ants to view. The wing construction an 'the relation of the wing panel to the fusela es and to the nacelles mmimizes resistance ue prmcipally to the factthat both the fuseages and nacelles merge uninterruptedly into the center panel. In constructing the the support-1n machine the structural framework of both fuselages and the structural framework of the three nacelles enter into and form a composite part of the structural framework of the center panel. Thus constructed maximum rigidity and, strength result.

fWhile I have described my invention in detail in its present embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I, aim in the appended claims to cover all such-modifications and chan es.

at is claimed is 1. In an aeroplane, a supporting surface, said supporting surface comprising connected panels, the center. anel of which is of substantially uniform ep'th from end to end and the outer panels of which are of gradually decreasing depth from root to tip, twin fuselages extended .rearwardly from the center panel, said fuselages at their forward ends being merged uninterruptedly into 'the center panel, a nacelle extended forwardly of the center panel and likewise merged uninterruptedly thereinto, a motor enclosed in the nacelle, and a usher propeller operable between the tw1n fuselages and. driven by said motor.

2. In an alrplane, a supporting surface, twin fuselages extended rearwardly from surface, each fuselage at its forward end ing mer' ed uninterruptedly into the supporting surface, separate motor nacelles extended forwardly from the sup porting surface substantially in alignment with the fuselages, each motor nacelle at its rearward end being merged uninterruptedly into the supporting surface, a motor enclosed in each nacelle, a tractor propeller for each motor, a center nacelle, a third motor, and a operab e between the twin fuselages.

3. In an airplane, a supporting surface, twin fuselages extended rearwardly from the sup orting surface, each fuselage at its forwar end being merged, top and bottom, into the supportin surface, a motor, and a pusher. propeller riven thereby and operable between the twin fuselages.

4. In an airplane, a supporting surface, twin fuselages extended rearwardly from the supporting surface, each fuselage-at its forward end being merged uninterruptedly,

.top and bottom, into the supporting surface,

a center nacelle likewise merged uninterruptedly top and bottom, into the supporting surface, a motor, and a pusher propeller drlven thereby operable between the twin fuselages. '1

5\. In an aeroplane, a supporting surface, twin fuselages extended rearwardly from the supporting surface, each fuselage at its usher propeller for the third motor forward end being merged uninterruptedly, top and bottom, into the supporting surface, a center nacelle projected forwardly beyond the leading edge of said supporting surface and likewise merged uninterru tedly, top and bottom, into said supporting surface, and a plurality of motors for driving the aeroplane, each of said motors being enclosed for the major part within the confines of the supporting surface androne of the total number thereof being so disposed in relation to said twin fuselages as to drive a pusher propeller operable therebetween.

6. In an aeroplane, a su porting surface, comprising three connecte panels, the center panel of which is of uniform thickness from end to end andthe outer panels ofwhich are of gradually decreasing thickness from root to tip, twin fuselages-extended rearwardly from points adjacent to the outer ends of said center panel, each fuselage at its forward end being merged uninterruptedly, top and bottom, into said cen- ,ter panel, a motor, and a propeller driven thereby fuselages. v

7. In an aeroplane, a supportin surface comprising three or more connecte panels, the center panel of which is comparatively thick from end to end and the outer panels of which are comparatively thick at their inner ends and of decreasing thickness toward their outer ends, twin fuselagesex-.

tended rearwardly from the supporting surfaces, said fuselages at their forward ends being substantially equal in depth to the thickness of said center anel, a motor, and

a propeller driven there y and operable aft of the trailing edge of the supporting surface and between the twin fuselages.

8. In an aeroplane, a supportingnsurface, twin fuselages extended rearwar y from the supporting surface, each fuselage at its forward end being merged uninterruptedly,

- top and bottom, into the supporting surface,

and operable between the twin the center nacelle, and a pusher propeller driven by the motor enclosed in the center nacelle, said pusher'propeller being operable between the twin fuselages.

9. In an aeroplane, a supporting-surface, twin fuselages extended rearwardly from the supporting surface, each fuselage at its forward end being merged uninterruptedly, top and bottom, into the supporting surface, side nacelles extended forwardly from the supporting surface in forward continuation of the twin fuselages, each side nacelle at its rearward end being merged uninterruptedly, top and bottom, into the supporting surface, a center nacelle extended for'-' wardly from the supporting surface and considerably beyond the forward end of either. side nacelle, said center nacelle being likewise merged uninterruptedly, top and bottom, at, its rearward end into the supporting surface, a motor enclosed in each side nacelle, a motor enclosed in the center nacelle, and two tractor propellers and a single pusher propeller driven respectively by the three motors, the tractor propellers being operable at opposite sides of and behind the forward end of the center nacelle, and the pusher pro eller being op-v erable between the twin fuse ages.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

WILLIAM L. GILMORE. 

